Alania
by N.K.Barton
Summary: Alani, a Dalish warrior is forced to leave her clan in order to find a cure for a plage she has contracted, and the only cure is to join a group of fighters known as the Grey Wardens, who are sworn to protect the world from the Dark Spawn, and the Bligt. This is her story. (M Fore Smex and Violence)


**Dragon Age Origins, Alania.**  
**By: Spiritfox94/N. **

Prologue.

Alania watched the embers of the small fire dim as the night maned on, a cold wind from the north rustling her dark hair. Alania was thinking back to over six days ago, when all of this had started. She had still been among her clan, he people. She had been out, hunting, with Tamlin, childhood friend. It all started when three Shem had come too close to their camp, Tamlin had spotted them, running, like there was a demon behind them.

They had begged for their lives, claiming that they had found a cave, and ruins, and had given them a stone as proof. Tamlin had said that the stone had written Elvish on it. No one had seen written Elvish in many centuries. After much persuasion Tamlin had agreed to let the Shem, the humans, live and sent them on their way.

Tamlin had wished to explore the cave, despite Alania's protests and pleads of caution, they went. There they found Human ruins, with Elvish artifacts, it was strange, almost unreal. And then, something happened that still chilled Alania's bone's even now as she pondered the events. The dead rose and attacked them. They were able to put them down, but they were not the worst of what was to come. A large, Demonic bear came at them, with fur red as blood, and eyes darker than night. The demon had been slain, but not before injuring Tamlin deeply. Alania had pleaded to return to the Keeper, but Tamlin insisted on continuing. Then they found the Mirror.

The Mirror was strange, the glass would not reflect their images, instead when Tamlin touched it, it showed him another world. Alania did not remember much after that, she remembered blacking out, and the dark face of the Shem who had saved her.

She had awoken in the tent of the Keeper and had been asked to return to the ruins to look for Tamlin along with Merrill, the Keeper's apprentice. In returning to the ruin they had came across the most foul creatures she had ever seen. When she had met with the man who had saved her, named Duncan, he had told her that those creatures were called Dark Spawn and that he was a Grey Warden, sworn to fight the Dark Spawn, and end the Blight.

Duncan explained that the mirror had been a tool used a long time ago as a way of communication and that it had been broken, tainted by the Dark Spawn over many centuries and that when Tamlin had touched the mirror he had released that taint into the world and into Alania and Tamlin themselves. Duncan told them that Tamlin was, undoubtedly, dead, or worse, and that it was impossible to find him now, for he had treated Alania of the Dark Spawn plague for two days, and it was a miracle that she had recovered at all, Tamlin, who had now been ill for three days, with no assistance, would have no chance.

They returned to the camp, were Duncan left to speak with the Keeper while Alania when to get Tamlin's funeral under way. When she returned to speak with the Keeper and the Warden she was told that the plague inside her would devour her, and she would die a slow, agonizing death, unless she were to be cured, and to do that she must go with Duncan, become a Grey Warden, and leave her clan behind, most likely forever. The Keeper asked her to go, saying that it would make them sad to watch her die, more so than to see her leave and so she said farewell to her people, her life, and left, to a place know as Ostigar, along side Duncan, to become a Grey Warden.

Alania was pulled out of her thoughts as another log was set in the dieing fire. She looked up at Duncan, who took a seat across the fire from her. He nodded to her as he adjusted the log with a long stick.

"How are you faring?" He asked, not looking at her. "I under stand the journey must be hard on you."

"My people have always traveled." She responded, leaning back on her hands. "It is more taxing on the mind than on the body, though I do often feel very cold."

Duncan nodded and looked at the cloud covered sky.

"I am sorry to have taken you away from your people, but I do not know of another way to save your life."

Alania nodded and sighed.

"But is it not also true that I am likely to die as a Grey Warden any way?"

"There is always the chance, yes." Duncan replied with almost a smile. "However I believe that you have a long life ahead of you yet. You are strong, to have survived your illness for so long, even more so that you are able to travel."

Alania tilted her head with a smart smirk, her dark eyes sharp in the dim light.

"You are a Peculiar man, Duncan, even for a Shem." She said, standing up and dusting off her armor. Duncan laughed in return and he too stood up, looking up at the veiled sky.

"I will take that as a compliment." He said with amusement. "Now, if you are ready we should continue to move. Ostagar is still a few days travel away, and we need to hasten."

Alania nodded and gathered her equipment, her bow secured to her back along with her sword and shield. She kicked out the fire, saving the log that had barely been burnt for their next camp. Then they both continued on their journey, the Elf and the Man, walking side by side, through the wilderness.


End file.
